The federal government filed 32-count amended charge against former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (retd.), who is standing trial in the alleged diversion of $2.1 billion arms funds. The amended charge, dated April 30, 2018, was signed by Director of Legal Services with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Chile Okoroma. The latest development comes almost three years after the federal government arraigned the former NSA before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on an 18-count charge. In the amended charges, names of prominent politicians from the opposition party were listed as beneficiaries of the alleged diversions.
Apart from filing new charges with fresh names, a new twist was also introduced into the trial by government as a key defendant in the matter Salisu Shuaib, who was a former Director of Finance and Supply in the ONSA under Colonel Dasuki, was dropped from the new charge. No reason could be immediately obtained as to why Shuaibwa dropped from the trial having being arraigned since 2015.
Lead counsel to Dasuki, Mr. Ahmed Raji, told newsmen that he did not know the deal between Shuaib, the federal government and EFCC on the new twist. Raji, however, added that subsequent events in the trial “will reveal to the defendants and their counsel all the circumstances leading to the dropping of the core accused,” adding that “till then we will keep our fingers crossed.”
Apart from Dasuki, other defendants in the amended charge are Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited. Among top Nigerians alleged by the federal government to have collected money from the former NSA were the current National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, former Chairman Board of Trustee, PDP, Chief Tony Anenih; former PDP Spokesperson, Chief Olisa Metuh; Publisher of Thisday, Nduka Obaigbena, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, Chairman, AIT, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, Mouftah Baba-Ahmed, Bello Abba Mohammed, Dr. Bello Mohammed, AVM M. N Umar, Otunba Jonah Ogunniyi
. It would be recalled that Dasuki, Salisu Shuaibu and three others were arraigned in 2015 on the same charge and pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them. After perfecting the bail conditions on December 29, 2015, Dasuki was re-arrested and had been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) without filing any other charge against him.
The trial had since suffered series of delays due to inability of the DSS to produce the ex-NSA in court for trial, as required by law. Meanwhile, a fresh plea of the four defendants is expected to be taken by Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf of the FCT High Court on May 17, a new date fixed for the hearing
